â13 Songs About Buildings, Real or Imaginedâ features music courtesy of Arctic Monkeys, Behemoth, Ed Sheeran, Logic, and Why Donât We. Â
âCan I get a hallelujah? / Can I get an amen?â Maren Morris asks on the chorus of her Grammy-winning country hit, âChurchâ. Later, she adds, âI find my soul revival / Singinâ every single verse / Yeah, I guess thatâs my church.â Why do we mention âChurchâ during the introduction of this playlist? Well, technically, a âchurchâ is a building, and this playlist is all about buildings â DUH! In the context of âChurchâ the Maren Morris song, sheâs not literally referencing a building of worship, so, technically, her church is imagined?
Enough talking around circles and such. The whole introduction was intended to set up â13 Songs About Buildings, Real or Imagined.â Yes, this playlist is about any kind of building that is referenced in the title of the featured songs. Also, as the playlist title suggests, the place can be real or imagined, such as the church of Maren Morrisâ car⊠or something like that. 13 Songs About Buildings, Real or Imagined features music courtesy of Arctic Monkeys (âTranquility Base Hotel + Casinoâ), Behemoth (âEcclesia Diabolica Catholicaâ), Ed Sheeran (âCastle on the Hillâ), Logic (âSupermarketâ), and Why Donât We (âI Donât Belong in This Clubâ).
1. Why Donât We, âI Donât Belong in This Clubâ
I Donât Belong in This Club [Single] âą Atlantic âąÂ 2019
Building: a club
âSave me, canât take it / I donât belong in this club / One dance, no chance / âCause Iâm feeling awkward as (oh)âŠâ Boy band Why Donât We (Corbyn Besson, Daniel Seavey, Zach Herron, Jonah Marais, and Jack Avery) tapped Grammy-winning rapper Macklemore for their âtotally awkward,â surefire bop, âI Donât Belong in This Clubâ. From a production standpoint, the pop collective has a record thatâs incredibly sleek, idiomatic of urban-pop to the nth degree. The drum programming screams hip-hop, the synths are bright and edgy, and all in all, it feels like a suitable backdrop for a contemporary, modern-day boy band. Beyond the production, the singing is on-point; the guys deliver, particularly on the robust, crowd-pleasing, sing-along chorus.
Speaking of the chorus â and the songwriting in general â itâs relatable, particularly for the crowd that finds clubbing âawkward as (oh).â Excerpted above, it continues as follows:
âI was waiting in line for an hour Just to get in, now I wanna get out âcause Iâm jaded, canât fake it I donât belong in this club.â
Of course, âI Donât Belong in This Clubâ has another piece â Macklemore.  The rapper brings some swagger, beginning his verse amped-up: âHopped out of the Uber / I was feelinâ myself / Had the polo with the bolo / With some eel on the belt.â But, like Why Donât We, he becomes jaded himself, with awkwardness killing the vibe. He concludes his verse by spitting:
ââBout to pull that Irish goodbye, grab my stuff, âbout to cut And the DJ yells, âMacklemore in the house tonightâ Ah, fuck.âÂ
All in all, Why Donât We and Macklemore secure a surefire hit with âI Donât Belong in This Club.â
2. Logic, âSupermarketâ
Supermarket (Soundtrack) âąÂ Def Jam âąÂ 2019
Building: supermarket
âIâve got a heavy heart and a lot on my mind / But, beautiful girl, youâre one of a kind / Iâm not a stalker, but I go shopping / More than I need to, just to see youâŠâ Okay⊠Grammy-nominated rapper Logic shocked the world by releasing a pop/rock-infused LP, Supermarket, which serves as the soundtrack to his debut novel. The results, as expected, were suspect AF â just keeping it 100. Rightfully, Anthony Fantano (theneedledrop) dubbed Supermarket (Soundtrack) ânot goodâ. Still, since Logic is detailing a building, and this playlist is about building, well, we included the title track on this playlist.
âDance with me in this department / Inside of this supermarket, babyâŠâ The energy of âSupermarket,â specifically on the aforementioned chorus, is a selling point. The harmonic progression is another win for Logic, and honestly, he should take the âWâsâ where he can on Supermarket. The style is an ill fit for the rapper, much like it was for Lil Wayne on Rebirth back in 2009 â that was a train wreck. âCourse, so is SupermarketâŠ
3. Arctic Monkeys, âTranquility Base Hotel & Casinoâ
Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino âą Domino âąÂ 2018
Building: Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino (imagined)
Most critics embraced Tranquility Base Hotel + Casino, the unique comeback album by British alternative band Arctic Monkey, though some where more skeptical. Personally, the album was intriguing and a refreshing change of pace from Alex Turner and company. Minor key title track âTranquility Base Hotel & Casinoâ ranks among the crĂšme de la crĂšme, arguably the crowning achievement. Turner sings about an imaginary hotel and casino, possibly on the Moon. According to an EW interview, Turner, referencing the title track states, ââŠWhether weâre actually talking about a sort of hotel-casino complex on the moon or not is debatable.â
Weird to the core, âTranquility Base Hotel & Casinoâ encompasses politics, philosophy, technology⊠itâs something.
âTechnological advances really bloody get me in the mood Pull me in close on a crisp eve, baby Kiss me underneath the moonâs side boob.â
âTranquility Base Hotel + Casinoâ previously appeared on the year-in-review playlist, Recapping 40 Stunning Ballads from 2018.
4. Behemoth, âEcclesia Diabolica Catholicaâ
I Loved You at Your Darkest âą Metal Blade âą 2018
Building: a âDiabolic Catholic Churchâ; subject to individual opinion whether real or imaginedâŠ
Gdansk, Poland death metal band Behemoth is well-known for their anti-Christian, Satanic themes â understatement. Throughout their brilliant 2018 album, I Love You at Your Darkest, the anti-Christian/religion sentiment runs rampant. According to frontman and mastermind Nergal, âIt doesnât get more blasphemous than thisâ. Thatâs pretty damning. A prime example of this blasphemy include âHavohej Pantocratorâ (a clever reverse of the famous icon, Christ [Jehovah] Pantocrator), featured previously on the playlist 13 Disturbing Songs About the Antichrist. Yet another example, arguably the biggest and most controversial anti-God statement, is âGod = Dog,â which appears on a different playlist as well, 11 Songs About Pets, Well, Sort of. While both of those are doozies, we have a doozy here thatâs not only sure to âdamn you to hell,â but also fits the building sentiment of this playlist. That would be âEcclesia Diabolica Catholica.â
âEcclesia Diabolica Catholicaâ definitely WONâT please Catholics, translating in English to âDiabolic Catholic Church.â The Satanic, anti-Christian sentiments of the band continue to be âturned all the way up ââ âIn absentia dei we sermonize / In ecclesia Satan / They might is right!â As shocking as it might be to Satanic, death metal virgins, again, this is a prevalent occurrence and stance. Behemoth masterfully amp up the drama lyrically and instrumentally, the mark of superb metal musicianship you might say.
5. Jake Shears, âPalace in the Skyâ
Jake Shears âą Freida Jean âą 2018
Building: Palace (imagined)
âPromise to steal the fortune / Love is a cruel extortion of life / What the hell might as well get away / Pleading to have your grey cut.â Hmm, quite poetic lyrics to say the least. âPalace in the Skyâ serves as the penultimate track from Jake Shearsâ underrated, self-titled, 2018 debut album. Shears is best known as the flamboyant, openly gay frontman of alternative pop collective Scissor Sisters. And yes, if you were curious, the band is named after the lesbian sex position… But this isnât about sex positions or Shearsâ band, but rather the record at hand.
âPalace in the Skyâ is a ballad, one in which Jake Shears sings both beautifully and sincerely. As aforementioned, there are some truly poetic lyrics that helps to make this record a success. Furthermore, the backdrop stands out, with its prominent piano, electric guitar, and heavy drums. The sound reminisces back to the 70s, yet also fits the current times. Going back to the lyrics, the centerpiece is the chorus, which occurs a total of three times on âPalace in the Sky.â
âAnd the stars align But the worldâs aflame Your palace in the sky Is burning blue tonight Your palace in the sky Is burning through the night Your palace in the sky.â
âPalace in the Skyâ previously appeared on the playlist 11 Thrilling Songs About the Sky.
6. Ed Sheeran, âCastle on the Hillâ
Ă· (Divide) âą Atlantic âą 2017
Building: Castle
âAnd I miss the way you make me feel, and itâs real / We watched the sunset over the castle on the hill.â âCastle on the Hillâ is one of the best songs from Ă· (Divide), the third studio album by Grammy-winning pop musician, Ed Sheeran. The record embraces more of a singer-songwriter, pop/rock sound, particularly compared to âShape of Youâ.
Sheeran superbly constructs a narrative and autobiographical approach, particularly on the verses.
âWhen I was six years old, I broke my leg I was running from my brother and his friends And taste the sweet perfume of the mountain grass I rolled down I was younger then, take me back to when I...â
The chorus (excerpted at the top of the blurb) is the selling point, as he delivers enthusiastic, energetic vocals. Beyond thoughtfully composed verses and chorus, the bridge is incredibly strong.
âOne friend left to sell clothes One works down by the coast One had two kids but lives alone Oneâs brother overdosed Oneâs already on his second wife Oneâs just barely getting by But these people raised me And I canât wait to go home.â
7. The National, âCarin at the Liquor Storeâ
Sleep Well Beast âą 4AD âą 2017
Building: liquor store
âSo, blame it on me / I really donât care / Itâs a foregone conclusionâŠâ Following a four-year hiatus, alternative band The National returned with Sleep Well Beast in 2017. Sleep Well Beast would ultimately earn Matt Berninger and company their first Grammy for Best Alternative Music album. The third single, âCarin at the Liquor Storeâ, earns a spot on this list. Why? Well, itâs a playlist about buildings and a liquor store is a building. There it is!
âCarin at the Liquor Storeâ commences with acoustic piano. This sound creates quite the ambiance. There are some subtle sounds in the background in addition to the piano, but the piano serves as the dominant backdrop. Matt Berninger adds his rich, distinct baritone atop the simple backdrop, which eventually expands with more instrumentation. âCarin at the Liquor Storeâ never grows incredibly overt â it always maintains a sense of poise and the utmost control. Even so, Berninger infuses more energy as it progresses, particular towards the end when he ascends from the bottom end of his vocal register.
The form is a mix of traditional, with some variation. The verses are patterned after one another. while each of the three choruses are slightly different, with some common ground. The first chorus is the shortest, as excerpted at the top of this blurb. Those lines recur on both the second and third choruses, which follow the second verse. The second chorus is the lengthiest, bearing the most detail, continuing as follows:
â...It wasnât so bad, I wasnât that sick Got taken by love, I wasnât that quick Forgone conclusion Itâs gonna be different after tonight Youâre gonna see me in a different light Itâs a foregone conclusion.â
So, what is Matt and The National getting at here? Love, specifically for Carin Besser, the wife of Matt Berninger.
8. Walker Hayes, âDollar Storeâ
Boom. âą Monument âąÂ 2017
Building: Dollar General, likelyâŠ
Alabama country musician Walker Hayes made a comeback in 2017. Sure, Hayes was never a âhousehold nameâ in country music or the business overall, but he experienced moderate success. Hayesâ sophomore album, boom. arrives, led by the charming single, âYou Broke Up with Meâ. As great as âYou Broke Up with Meâ is, or even âShut Up Kennyâ, neither songs are about a building. So, we go with âDollar Storeâ â BOOM!
âDollar Storeâ is filled with quirkiness, swagger, and perhaps most of all, popâŠor maybe hip-hop. This is a perfect example of Hayesâ new brand of country that doesnât appeal to traditionalists, but rather those willing to truly blur the lines. For most, thereâs not much middle ground â this is a âlove it or hate itâ type. The chorus is infectious, as is the groove.
âUh, woohoo Mama let my money say I love you We takinâ you and this GW Down to the dollar store Buy you whatever you holla for Uh, woohoo Baby Iâm a million bucks from rich But I can grant you a discount wish Down at the dollar store Buy you whatever you holla for.â
9. Ryan Adams, âHaunted Houseâ
Prisoner âą Blue Note âąÂ 2017
Building: haunted house (imagined, sort ofâŠ)
âI donât want to live in this haunted house anymore.â Rock singer/songwriter Ryan Adams is chocked-full of sadness throughout the course of his painfully-underrated 2017 album, Prisoner. His loneliness comes to head on âHaunted House,â among the crĂšme de la crĂšme of the LP. In tune with the prevalence of heartbreak that encompasses Prisoner, âHaunted Houseâ expands the script slightly, extending his loneliness to dwindling friends.
On âPrisoner,â Adams still desires his ex (cough* Mandy Moore), but heâs less specific. On the first verse, he states, âItâs the last house at the end of the block / My friends all disappear one by one.â On the second, he goes on to say, âNobody stops to write, nobody calls / My friends all disappear / They all got lost.â Basically, home doesnât feel like home without her in his life. Yeah, you could sort of say this one doesnât quite fit this list, yet, in a way it does. âHaunted Houseâ previously appeared on the playlist 13 Songs That Embrace the Mantra, âNo Place Like Homeâ.
10/11. Macklemore, âCorner Storeâ & âChurchâ
GEMINI âą Bendo, LLC âąÂ 2017
Buildings: Store; Church
âIâm gonna pop some tags / Only got 20 dollars in my pocket / Iâm, Iâm, Iâm huntinâ / Lookinâ for a come up / This is fucking awesome.â Ah, âThrift Shopâ was a huge deal back in 2012 â understatement. Interestingly, the Macklemore & Ryan Lewis song happens to be about a building (a thrift shop) and yet, Iâm only shouting out the biggest hit of the duoâs career. Oh well, it happens. Moving beyond âThrift Shop,â after releasing two albums with Ryan Lewis (The Heist and This Unruly Mess Iâve Made), Macklemore opted to release his 2017 LP, GEMINI, without Lewis. GEMINI ended up being a project with its fair share of standouts, including one of two building-songs at hand, âChurch.â
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âChurchâ is the more accomplished of the two songs on this two-for-one, but letâs start with âCorner Storeâ first. âCorner Store,â the 13th song from GEMINI, moves away from the topic of love and sex which dominated preceding songs. The result is a harder, cocky and confident record. Featuring Dave B and Travis Thompson, itâs a worthwhile listen that doesnât âmove the needle.â The penultimate âChurchâ is simply beautiful, earning top honors on GEMINI. Like âMiracleâ that precedes it, the 15th track of the LP is in the wheelhouse of Macklemore, focusing on larger, more meaningful issues. The production is soulful, incorporating gospel cues, choral vocals, a robust bass line, and trumpet. The chorus, performed by Xperience, is exceptional.
âHope Iâm feeling this good when itâs Monday morninâ Been doing my own thing, canât say that Iâm sorry And I can only pray someday that weâll all be More than just okay, we can be so free And I can get fly with ya, ride with ya, shine with ya, yeah I can get fly with ya, ride with ya, shine with ya, yeah.â
12. Flo Rida, âMy Houseâ
My House âą Atlantic âą 2015
Building: house
Love him or hate him, Flo Rida always seems to be good for a hit. In this case, itâs the infectious âMy Houseâ which appears on his seven-track, 2015 album (or EP), My House. While âMy Houseâ is a rousing anthem for carefree partying or sports, Flo seems to have his mind on booty. âWelcome to my house / baby take control now,â he sings on the hook, continuing, âwe canât even slow down / we donât have to go out.â
Say what you want, but that is sexual innuendo to the nth degree. The confirmation about whatâs going down in Floâs house comes during the second verse. âMorning comes and you know what you wanna stay / Close the blinds, letâs pretend that the time has changed,â he raps, continuing, âKeep our clothes on the floor, open up champagne / âetâs continue tonight, come one, celebrate.â Flo Rida sure knows how to show southern hospitality, he he⊠âMy Houseâ originally appeared on the playlist 14 âHouseâ Songs More Thrilling Than Chilling at the House.
13. Sam Hunt, âHouse Partyâ
Montevallo âąÂ MCA Nashville âą 2014
Building: house
âWeâll have a house party, we donât need nobody / Turn your TV off, break that boom box outâŠâ In some respects, âHouse Party,â a highlight from Montevallo, the 2014 debut album by country singer Sam Hunt, is simple. Yes, itâs a fun, carefree record that lacks depth â thereâs plenty of those. âHouse Partyâ also possesses the slightest bit of innuendo, but not enough to totally turn off more conservative country fans⊠I guess. Such innuendo resides on the chorus, partially excerpted above and continued below: ââŠWeâll wake up all the neighbors âtil the whole block hates us / And the cops will show up and try to shut us down.â
Now I know what youâre thinking â itâs a stretch to make turn this âhouse partyâ into something more. But honestly, isnât it hard to believe that Sam and his âhomebodyâ girl are just going to listen to music and dance all night? Of course, it is!  The question that needs to be asked is what kind of dancing? Furthermore, the âWake up all the neighborsâ is just a little too Trey Songz to resist, right?  Totally! âHouse Partyâ previously appeared on the playlist 14 âHouseâ Songs More Thrilling Than Chilling at the House.